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Author Topic: Bees In Clay Pot  (Read 10141 times)

Offline JP

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Bees In Clay Pot
« on: January 30, 2009, 10:53:52 am »
A lady had these bees living in a clay pot since April 08. Went by about 2 weeks ago (January 15,08) and sealed entrance hole, picked the pot up and placed them on plastic, taped the plastic up and the next day brought them to my friend Bailey's place in Raceland, Louisiana.

Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/NewOrleansLouisiana?authkey=vWdS3nO_YMI#


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Offline Robo

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2009, 11:08:23 am »
Nice pot :-D

Now what :?
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Offline MustbeeNuts

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2009, 11:21:10 am »
ya im curious how do you get them into a new box. the pot has to get full and need more room right?
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Offline JP

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2009, 11:24:34 am »
Nice pot :-D

Now what :?

The tree in Narin. Also on the books is one I just got called on 40' up in a column and another tree and one from a Virginia keeper removing bees from a friend's house in New Orleans, will try and get with him today.

Have other people waiting also for the weather to warm up.


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Offline JP

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2009, 11:39:25 am »
ya im curious how do you get them into a new box. the pot has to get full and need more room right?

Nice pot  :-D

Now what  :?

Went right by me, woo!

Sorry, I don't have to get them out of the pot, my friend Bailey does! :-D :-D :-D

But...

Here's one I did in another pot http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/JUNE112008#


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Offline annette

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2009, 12:33:53 pm »
That is very cute with that pot sitting in the back of your truck.

So I am curious also what do you do with the mess of comb in that pot??? I know you did not do this, but would love to know how to proceed


Offline Keith13

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2009, 12:58:37 pm »
Those are the pictures I like to see. man you better strap those guys in with a seatbelt it could get interesting god forbid a wreck :-D

Keith

Offline JP

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2009, 01:03:07 pm »
Those are the pictures I like to see. man you better strap those guys in with a seatbelt it could get interesting god forbid a wreck :-D

Keith

I thought of you when I made this post. Was going to title it "clay pot hive for Keith"

Annette, did you click on http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/JUNE112008#

I cut the combs and secured them with rubber bands in frames and placed them in the nuc you see pictured.


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Offline BjornBee

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2009, 01:06:57 pm »
Nice swarm and clay pot. I was picturing something much smaller.
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Offline Scadsobees

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2009, 01:16:07 pm »
Cool!
You do a lot of pot?  Uh..I mean pots?

:)
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Offline JP

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2009, 04:45:47 pm »
Cool!
You do a lot of pot?  Uh..I mean pots?

:)

I try not to!


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Offline annette

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #11 on: January 30, 2009, 07:50:32 pm »
Yes of course, stupid question as I have seen so many cutouts.  Just slice them apart and place into a good frame. OK. Perhaps one of these days I will experience this

Offline JP

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #12 on: January 30, 2009, 08:08:54 pm »
Annette, remember the one the guy killed in the barbecue pit? That type of hive is a great beginner hive because it was exposed.

On established colonies some are much easier to access than others. I always ask what the interior and exterior walls are made of. A paneling wall containing a colony is a very easily accessible hive for example.

You are off to a great start being on a swarm list. There are so many people here with experience that are willing to help with any questions you may have.

Good luck Annette!


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Offline bailey

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #13 on: January 30, 2009, 09:57:00 pm »
here is whats next!

i took the pot and set it on a medium filled with drawn comb and honey. i then set that super and pot onto a bottom board.
i then placed 2 empty supers over the whole setup and put a migratory top in place.

my thinking is that as it was a small hive and we are still in our winter down here ( not a very cold or long winter! :-D)  the bees needed all the brood that was in the pot.

i believe that as the spring progresses the bees will fill the comb in the pot with honey/nectar and force the queen to move down into the comb filled super.

once i think the queen is laying in the comb below the pot i will then remove the honey filled pot, remove the 2 empty supers and close the girls up in only the medium.

i have another super of capped honey that i can feed them as soon as i do this to prevent any starvation
before the flow begins.

the honey in the filled pot will be crushed and open fed back to my bees when i remove the pot from the current setup.

the pot then gets cleaned out and receives a pineapple plant that i have waiting for transplant!
no muss no fuss no waste!

anyone see any flaws other than the need to monitor for the little darlings to try and build in the open space above the pot?

Bailey
most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS  ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

Offline JP

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #14 on: January 30, 2009, 10:01:08 pm »
It all sounds good to me. How they doing?


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Offline bailey

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #15 on: January 30, 2009, 10:07:10 pm »
there doing great! numbers seem to be building well, they are getting more gentle as time goes on.

i have the entrance reduced to prevent robbing and they are hauling in pollen very quickly!
they haven't moved down yet but if tomorrow's weather permits i am going to suit up and lift the pot up to where i can look in and see how much they are building up.

cant tell too much looking into that little hole in the bottom!

Bailey
most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS  ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

Offline JP

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2009, 10:17:10 pm »
I believe they are very happy where they are. I don't think they had squat for resources where they were. I am glad they are doing well, they seemed like a happy little colony.

BTW, I didn't leave that house in Thibodeaux until after 10 is why I didn't  call or stop by, but you figured that.


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Offline bailey

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #17 on: January 30, 2009, 10:21:30 pm »
didnt think you would pass up a chance to stop by the " seafood store "  unless it was late.

sounded like a rough setup you were in.
bailey
most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS  ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

Offline JP

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #18 on: January 30, 2009, 10:25:51 pm »
That job put a whoopin on me! But the pay was great!


...JP
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Offline KONASDAD

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Re: Bees In Clay Pot
« Reply #19 on: February 03, 2009, 04:54:49 pm »
Come on, you couldn't find an annoying neighbor to catapult that baby on over too!
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